Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a valve for regulating a fluid, wherein the valve includes a valve housing with a central part and with two connection ends, the connection ends extending away from the central part, thus indicating a flow direction for the fluid, wherein internally of the central part there is arranged a valve body including an at least partially spherical surface for bearing against a corresponding valve seat, the valve body including at least a shutoff part and a through-flow part. The invention further includes a method for making such a valve.
Description of Related Art
It is commonly known to make valves, e.g., ball valves, and thereby valve housings of several parts and then assemble these parts around one or two valve seats and a valve body. Such valves are typically made of brass or other cupper-based alloy and are typically assembled by corresponding screw threads in respective parts, or alternatively by means of bolts.
When speaking of a ball valve, the valve body is, as indicated by the name, spherical and typically with an outer size which is greater than the connecting openings in the valve housing. Such a valve therefore has a valve housing with an internal geometry in which valve seat and valve body are disposed. The valve housing is typically joined in the vicinity of the valve body as the latter requires the largest internal dimension.
Such valves are typically made of cast items which are formed and shaped by machining by cutting operation to the desired geometry. This shaping process is, however, rather cost-intensive for several reasons. The individual work pieces are to be cast and then handled and machined one by one in a suitable metal cutting unit. Since the work pieces are individually machined, the process is time-consuming, irrespective of the application of modern and relatively rapid processes.
In addition to the handling and machining of the cast work pieces prior to assembling around one or two valve seats and a valve body, the cost of the material also plays a significant role. Brass or other suitable alloys are expensive, entailing an appreciably greater cost than e.g., common weldable carbon steel.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,500,090 B2 discloses a valve wherein the valve seat includes a resilient structural part where the spring action from the resilient structural part acts in a direction in parallel with the flow direction of the valve, and including an annular flange part adapted for direct or indirect bearing against the valve body. This resilient structural part is placed in a valve housing which is shaped, possibly before mounting one connection end. This implies that the mounting of the resilient structural parts in the central part of the valve housing is impeded, and that the making of the valve therefore can take longer time and entail increased production costs.
Thus, there is an expressed desire for making valves for heating and cooling systems, for potable water and for other purposes in steel, e.g., carbon steel or stainless steel which is cheaper that the common alloys and which can be worked with modern production equipment directly from a plate piece or a tube piece faster and cheaper than possible when casting and machining work pieces of, e.g., brass.
At the same time, it is greatly desired to entirely avoid performing welding processes on a valve as such processes cause respective work pieces to be set up in production at least one more time and the welding process itself is to be performed, which of course raises the cost of the product.
In addition, it is desired to perform a rapid and simple mounting of valve seat as well as valve body while at the same time a high quality and a secure and unambiguous disposition of these parts in relation to the valve housing and to each other are achieved.